Don't Think They Know
by PoeticLover1996
Summary: He was her anchor and kept her grounded, and she was his purpose and gave him another reason to keep trying.
1. Dreams of an Absolution

"Don't Think They Know"

Written by PoeticLover1996

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of its relating characters. All that belongs to me are my thoughts and this story.

* * *

1: Dreams of an Absolution

"_For in the end, freedom is a personal and lonely battle; and one faces down the fears of today so that those of tomorrow might be engaged."- Alice Walker._

_Her feet, bare and free, glided against the ground with every step she took. The wind blew hard and ruffled her neat hair, causing the bouncy auburn curls to fall. Her gown, made of the finest silk imported all the way from China, had stains of grass and mud on them, and there were several rips and tears in it, but she could care less. Her crown, golden and adorned with exotic jewels of all types, was precariously perched on top of her head, just barely hanging on._

_The shouts of the royal guards and the sound of horse hooves beating and clanging against the earth like drums and symbols reached her ears, warning her that they were gaining on her and quickly, so she ran until she was breathless and gasping for air like a fish out of water. Her lungs felt tight and compressed, and she could feel the muscles in her legs beginning to grow weary and cramp, but still, she ran on. She refused to be captured and thrown back into the palace like a prison thrown into his cell._

Sally woke up, her eyes wide and wild. Her breathing came out in erratic pants, and her chest rose and fell with every broken breath of air she inhaled. Her body was drenched in sweat, and the beats of her heart appeared to quiver. Glancing to her left, she stared at her alarm clock and almost groaned in frustration. It was already time for her to get up, and she felt as if she hadn't slept a wink.

"So much for getting another few minutes of sleep," Sally said as she got out of bed. As her bare feet came into contact with the cool, hardwood floor of her bedroom, she shivered, but said nothing. Grabbing a towel and wash cloth, she trudged her way to her bathroom, slamming the door shut with a solid thud that resonated through her otherwise mute room.

* * *

Sally turned on the lights as stepped inside her room, clad only in a simple white towel. She dried her still damp her and proceeded to dry herself off, making sure to catch every stray bead of water. She threw her towel over her shoulder, smiling as she heard it land in her hamper.

"She shoots, and she scores," said Sally, and she imitated the cheers of a roaring crowd, cupping her hands over her mouth to amplify the sound. Nude as the day she came into the world, she walked to her dresser and threw open a random drawer. Grabbing a bra, underwear, and clothes, she quickly donned them on. After brushing her hair free of kinks and tangles, Sally left her room and went to her kitchen to eat some breakfast.

"I wonder what that dream was all about," Sally mused as she fixed herself a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. "Was it a memory of when I ran away from home?" Sally nodded her head as she put up the cereal box and began pouring some milk. "It has to be, but why am I having dreams about it?" Putting the milk back in her refrigerator and grabbing a shiny, silver spoon, she came back inside her dining room and took a seat at the head of the table. She wished she had the answers to these questions. However, she saw no logic in dwelling on something that was beyond her control. Was it really beyond her control or simply not within her grasp? She honestly didn't know.

* * *

Sally listened to the sound of running water, watching as the kitchen sink began to fill with the clear liquid. Bubbles caused by the dish detergent hovered in the air, and she popped a few of them, smiling. Her favorite part about washing dishes was the soapsuds and bubbles, and she couldn't resist popping them; it brought out the child in her.

Some days she couldn't help but miss her family and often wondered how they were faring without her, but she didn't want to see them or for them to see her. For Sally, it was better to put the past behind her and look towards the future, a future she could now carve and control to degrees. It was a much better alternative than the one that had been previously molded and set for her since her birth.

It was things like those that pushed her over the edge and prompted her to leave home for good. After packing the things she wanted to take with her, Sally, at the break of dawn, dipped out. She wanted to put her title and being royalty behind her, and she just couldn't take it anymore. The pressure, responsibilities, and expectations were simply unrealistic, and the way everyone shoved them into her unwilling hands really pissed her off.

She also didn't appreciate how everyone tried to rule her life, and the way they tried dictating how she ought to act and behave grated her nerves. It was times like those that she really wished she wasn't of royal blood, that she wasn't a princess. It irritated her at how narrow-minded and ignorant people tended to be. So blinded by the wealth and fame that surrounded her, they couldn't see past all that to catch a glimpse of the wonderful woman that was underneath it all.

Done with the dishes, she rinsed and dried them off, and put them in their proper places. Figuring that it would be prudent of her to tidy up her house while the mood had struck her, Sally made her way to her supply closet and grabbed a broom, dustpan, mop, and mop bucket and began sweeping each room in her house, beginning with her kitchen. She was thorough with her work, making sure not a speck of dust was on any of her floors. She only paused long enough to toss the trash into the trashcan. When she was finally done sweeping, Sally filled the mop bucket with warm water and soap and began mopping each room, again beginning with her kitchen. This took her a little longer because she had to wait for each floor to completely dry.

* * *

Plopping on her couch while cradling a glass of ice-cold water in her left hand, Sally sighed, understandably exhausted. She honestly hadn't expected it to take her so damn long to clean her house. On the plus side of things, with her house nice and clean, she now had the whole day ahead of herself and could basically spend the rest of her day as she pleased. Perhaps she could take a nice, long nap and catch those extra minutes of sleep she had missed out on earlier.

Before she could act out on such a wonderful notion, a knock on the door halted such plans, and, downing the rest of her water and putting the glass on the little table she kept beside her couch, Sally got up and answered the door.

"Hiya, Sal!" said Sonic, greeting her with a warm and friendly smile. Sally returned his smile, enveloping him in a sweet hug, which he happily returned without hesitation.

"Hi, Sonic. What brings you to this neck of the woods?" Sally asked once they had finished hugging. Sonic's smile widened, and his emerald eyes twinkled with delight.

"I came to get you because you and I are going somewhere," Sonic said. Sally gave him a puzzled look, but decided to go along with it.

"Um, ok then. Let me just get my house key and lock the door and we'll be on our way," said Sally. Sonic gave her a grin and thumbs-up, and Sally went back inside. She grabbed her house key, tucking it inside the pocket of her blue shorts, and locked her front door. She then went outside where Sonic was standing on her front porch, tapping his foot in mild impatience as he waited for her.

"Where exactly are we going?" Sally asked, curious and excited at the same time. She bit back a surprised squeal as Sonic suddenly scooped her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style. Sonic laughed, his eyes shining as he looked down at her, throwing her a wink.

"You'll see when we get there." And with that being said, Sonic sped off, tightening his arms around Sally, so she wouldn't slip and fall. As a precaution, Sally held onto him just in case his feet got too carried away.

Running at supersonic speed was definitely a different experience for Sally. It was exhilarating, and Sally could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins while her heart seemed to race almost as fast as Sonic could run, which was both scary and exciting. The scenery seemed to melt and drip until it was nothing more than blurs and colors, resembling a melted rainbow. She could now understand why Sonic loved to run; it was beyond fun, and it felt as if they were both as free as the wind that blows.

_She was standing in the center of a meadow filled to the brim and bursting with a variety of beautiful flowers. Their sweet fragrance assaulted her nose, and she greedily breathed in their unique scents, filling her lungs with their heavenly aroma before she was forced to breathe back out. The wind tickled her fur and ruffled her hair, bringing her immense peace and comfort._

_Her eyes gazed upward at the clear blue sky, and not a single cloud was in sight. The fiery glare from the sun and its equally hot rays beated down against her body; however, she paid no heed to it, welcoming them both whole-heartedly and with arms wide open. The wind, as if it could sense her body's distress, blew harder, successful in its attempt to cool her down._

_She smiled openly and without a single care within the entire world because she, at least for the time being, had tasted freedom's sweet nectar, had held it in her hands. She understood what it meant to be free, and maybe, just maybe, if she tried hard enough and believed long enough, she could finally have a freedom all her own._

"SALLY!" The shout of her name ripped her out of what she could only assume was another memory. Her eyes found Sonic, who wore a worried, troubled expression on his face. His eyes bore into hers, the concern shining clearly in their emerald depths. One of his hands was cupping her face, and she welcomed the soothing warmth it brought her. His other hand was smoothing her hair back in place, playing with its silky strands.

The memory was still freshly imprinted in her mind and felt like it had just happened moments ago, but it must've been longer than that to cause Sonic to worry so greatly for her well-being. Looking past him, she could see that their friends were swarmed around them, each sporting a look of concern on their faces. She was shocked to see Shadow of all people here and was even more shocked to see him as equally worried as the others were.

His crimson eyes found her sapphire ones, and they held a look of understanding in their depths. Before she could ponder further on this discovery, Sonic tapped her shoulder, and she focused her attention on him once more.

"Sally, are you alright? I've been calling your name for almost five minutes now," said Sonic, eyebrows furrowed in confusion and worry. Sally felt her eyes widen in surprise. Had she really been out of it that long? How was that even possible? The memory, to her anyways, was short and fleeting, disappearing beyond the horizon. She didn't understand it; did time operate differently within memories as opposed to reality?

"I'm fine, Sonic. I just blanked out, is all. There's really no need to be alarmed," said Sally, brushing off the matter with what she could only assume was a convincing and reassuring tone. Turning her attention to the others, she spoke. "I'm so thankful for each of your concerns, but I assure you that I'm fine," said Sally, an easygoing smile on her face. Sonic looked doubtful, but he knew she wouldn't talk about whatever it was that was bugging her so quickly.

"Alright, Sally, but only if you're sure," said Sonic, giving her a skeptical look. When Sally nodded her head, Sonic's expression perked up, and he was back to his usual confident, energetic self. "Now that we're all here, let's eat."

It was then that Sally realized that Sonic had taken her to Cream and Vanilla's house. As she looked around, eyes taking in the luscious flower gardens and appetizing vegetables gardens that surrounded their house, she noticed that there was a medium-sized picnic table in the center of the yard. On it was several different kinds of foods, sweets, and drinks, and it was large enough to comfortably seat all fourteen of them. So, Sally walked over to where the others were now at, grabbed a plate, and began fixing herself something to eat.

Sally glanced at the table, debating on where she should sit. There were two rows right across from each other that each had enough room to seat seven people. There was an empty space at the beginning of the left row, so Sally decided to sit there. Talking her seat, she quietly began eating her meal, which was a fried bologna sandwich, Cheddar and Sour Cream potato chips, and a Coke. Taking a bite of her sandwich, she watched as her friends interacted with each other.

Amy, determined as always, was trying to woo Sonic, who looked nervous and slightly uncomfortable. However, he honestly looked like he was enjoying himself, laughing and smiling, his attention focused solely on Amy. Tails and Cream were talking quietly to each other, while Knuckles and Rouge were arguing and flirting with each other. Blaze and Silver were quietly enjoying each other's company, and Vector was talking it up with Vanilla; the two looked awfully cozy. Espio was trying to control a hyperactive Charmy, and Shadow… was sitting right beside her.

Sally nearly choked on her Coke, though she managed not to, thankfully. She openly stared at the dark hedgehog, the thoughts inside her head swarming and buzzing like a hive of bees. Shadow was such an intriguing character, a puzzle that yearned to be solved and put together. Though they weren't extremely close, they had, on some occasions, talked to each other, discussing things like battle strategies and their favorite books. She respected his reserved, thoughtful nature and admired his leadership skills. She wanted to say something, anything, but words failed to come to her. Instead, she held her tongue and made herself content with simply eating in silence.

Her thoughts wandered back to what had happened earlier. She didn't understand why such memories were popping up now; it made zero sense to her, but she tried not to overthink it too much. Maybe she was simply homesick, which was true to extent. She did miss her family, but not enough to go see them, so that couldn't be it. Something that each memory had in common was that they both revolved around the theme of freedom, something she didn't have enough of while she was still living in her kingdom. Maybe they were reminding her of how far she's come, and that she made the right decision in leaving.

That made sense; she didn't regret her decision, for if she hadn't left, she would've never met any of the wonderful friends she now had. She would've never had the chance to live her life according to her rules or explore everything the world and her people had to offer. Her mood immediately lightened and her spirits were high. It felt as if the weight on her shoulders had been lifted and tossed somewhere off to the side. She tuned in to the conversations around her, gladly giving her thoughts and adding her input, laughing right along with them whenever someone cracked a joke or two; she felt like she was herself again.

"You seem to be in better spirits," Blaze mused, coming to stand beside her. Sally glanced at her fellow princess and smiled.

"I don't know, Blaze. I feel lighter than air right now," said Sally. She looked down and frowned a little. "These memories are odd. They just come and go in some kind of random sequence." Blaze gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and offered her a smile.

"Don't stress yourself out overthinking it. Just take it as it is and focus enjoying yourself. We're all about to go roller-skating, well, everyone except for Vanilla, Vector, Espio, and Charmy. Vanilla and Vector are going to stay behind and clean and put everything up, and Espio's taking Charmy home so that he can take a nap. Roller-skating should definitely take your mind off of it," said Blaze, her lavender tail flicking back and forth, making small whooshing noises. Sally inwardly paled at the thought, but said nothing. She had never been roller-skating before, and she was sure the outcomes wouldn't be in her favor, but her pride refused to let her back down. Besides, how hard could roller-skating possibly be?

"That sounds like fun," Sally finally said, following the princess as they headed to the roller rink. She hadn't meant to sound so nervous, and when Blaze shot her a look of concern, she waved it off with a smile. She was princess, a fighter, a diplomat, a mediator, and leader. Surely, if she could master all of those things, then roller-skating would prove to be no real issue, right?

* * *

Sally grunted as she came into contact with the ground. Again. Frustrated, she got back up on her feet to give it another try, only to fall back down again. Not one to be so easily deterred, Sally stood up once more, but, to her dismay, her legs began to wobble, and, just like before, they gave out. She was unable to stand up completely without falling back down and kissing the floor with her face. She took her green helmet off and laid it on her lap. Leaning forward, she propped her chin on her hand and absently wondered what possessed her into agreeing to go on this little group outing in the first place.

_Roller-skating can't be that hard to master, right Sally? At least, that's what you said earlier,_ her mind reminded her, chastising and teasing her at the same time. With a roll of her eyes, Sally mentally gave her mind the finger. Being wrong was something she didn't care for, but that didn't mean she wasn't too proud or stubborn to admit that she was wrong. Honestly, she had to agree that going roller-skating when she had no real idea how was pretty damn stupid. It was like eating a chocolate bar even though you knew you were allergic to it.

"Need some help, princess?" Startled, Sally turned around and saw Shadow standing beside her. He wore a black helmet with red streaks and matching elbow and knee pads, and roller-skates; their designs matched that of the colors of his fur. Once again, she stared at him. He wore an amused expression on his handsome face, and his lips were curved up into a small smile. His eyes, she realized, were such a deep, enticing shade of red and they reminded her of precious rubies, exotic and valuable.

She saw his smile widen, and her face immediately burned as she blushed, feeling embarrassed. It figured that he'd catch her staring at him, but like she cared. It wasn't her fault that he had beautiful eyes and that he was handsome, not that she'd noticed.

"Yeah, you could say that," Sally muttered, blowing loose strands of her hair out of her eyes. She allowed him to help her up, and her legs, due to her lack of balance in these roller-skates, wobbled dangerously again. Instinctively, she grabbed hold of him to steady herself while Shadow's hands had a firm grip on her waist to ensure that she didn't accidentally topple over.

"If you don't mind me asking, if you knew you couldn't roller-skate, why didn't you say anything?" Shadow asked. He and the others had noticed her struggling and falling over, and he had decided to go check and see if she was alright. He quickly gave her an onceover and was relieved to see that she was ok. In all actuality, it would take more than falling on the floor to hurt someone like Sally, but better to be safe than sorry.

"I didn't want to make a big deal out of nothing," Sally said, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. It wasn't like her to complain or make a big deal over the little things. "Besides, I was just hoping I'd catch on, but I guess I need more practice," she said.

"And I understand that; however, you could've seriously hurt yourself. You shouldn't have even got on the floor to skate if you knew you didn't know how, or, since you obviously wanted to skate so bad, you should've just came to one of us and asked for some assistance," said Shadow, picking up her helmet and putting it back on her head. Sally growled in irritation, and though she despised being chastised like some little kid, for it made her feel incompetent and incapable of doing something right, she chose not to argue with him because he made some valid points. It would've made a lot more sense for her to ask for help, and she should've done so sooner.

"Ok, then, Shadow," Sally began, poking him in his chest, "since you clearly know so much, why don't you teach me how to roller-skate?" Sally asked, giving him a hopeful, pleading look, throwing in an adorable pout for good measure. Shadow heaved a sigh of defeat, wondering how he got himself into these kinds of situations. Sonic was the one who should be doing this; wasn't she his best friend? He glanced over his shoulder and easily spotted the blue blur. He was about to call him over and leave this matter into his hands, but he saw that he was busy roller-skating with Amy, and the pair of them really seemed to be enjoying themselves.

He knew that Amy rarely got the opportunity to spend genuine time with Sonic since he always seemed busy one way or another, and he refused to be the one to take such a happy moment away from her.

"Well, since you asked so nicely, I guess I can teach you how to roller-skate, princess," said Shadow. Sally smiled widely and threw her arms around him, giving him a hug whose tightness nearly rivaled Amy's. Shadow found himself gasping for air when she finally let him go, though Sally didn't notice this. One of his hands was resting over his rapidly beating heart as he slowly caught his breath and regained his composure.

"Ooh, thanks a ton, Shadow! I really appreciate it," she said after she let him go. Shadow gave her a wry look, shaking his head. Reaching for her, he drew her close and wrapped one arm around her waist. Grasping one of her hands, he held it securely in his own as he intertwined their fingers together. Sally mimicked his actions, wrapping one of her arms around his shoulder, giving his hand a squeeze as she took a deep breath, trying to keep herself calm, cool, and collected.

_No need to panic, Sally-girl. It's just roller-skating, and I've got Shadow helping me learn. I have nothing to worry about; I'm in good hands, _Sally thought, and she felt calmer and assured. Shadow noticed how her body visibly relaxed, her previously tense muscles now lax.

"Follow my lead, princess," he whispered into her ear, his warm breath tickling the inside of her ear; Sally could feel her body erupt in pleasant shivers in response. She gave a nod of her head, reestablishing and tightening the grip she had on him while he did the same, and, after a few minutes of mental preparation, they began roller-skating. Shadow made sure to keep the pace slow and easy, and after a few rough tries, Sally finally caught on, soon mirroring his actions and following the tempo he had set with ease. She had to admit, roller-skating was pretty fun once she learned how.

The tempo steadily increased as they began to skate faster, eyes never leaving the other as they glided across the floor with style and ease. They were various tricks, dips, twirls, and spins. Sally tilted her head back and laughed, smiling goofily. She was enjoying herself thoroughly and truly, and her happiness was contagious, for Shadow found himself laughing and smiling along with her, something he didn't do too often or so openly. Sally pressed her forehead against his, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Hey, Shadow, I wanna try something." When Shadow nodded his head, she continued. "Ok, I want you to throw me into the air and catch me like those professional skaters do," Sally said, her sapphire eyes full of energy and daring. Shadow arched an eyebrow at her and shook his head in disbelief. She had been hanging under that blue hedgehog too long because his daredevil habits were beginning to rub off on her.

"You are aware of the fact that they're professionals, and we are in no way, shape, or form trained to do what they do, right?" Shadow asked. Sally rolled her eyes, a determined expression on her face.

"Oh, please, Shadow. We're ass-kicking heroes who save the world on a daily basis. I'm more than sure we can do a little trick together, and besides, it's not like you're gonna let me fall, so I don't see what's there to worry about," Sally pointed out, giving him her best puppy-dog look as she pouted again, batting her eyelashes and looking as innocent as could be. Shadow sighed. How could he resist such a look? Plus, it wasn't like he didn't try and warn her.

"You're assuming that I'll catch you," he joked, but they both knew he wouldn't drop her. Well, not intentionally anyways. "Alright, princess, let's do this." With a firm grip on her hands, Shadow began skating faster, Sally keeping up with his speed without too much trouble. Without so much as breaking a sweat, he spun her around in two full circles before throwing her into the air.

Everything seemed to be in slow-motion for Sally. She could see everyone from up here, and they sort of looked like specks. Gracefully, she spun around three times, managing to look as flawless and stylish as the professionals. Doing a little backflip, she began her descent back to the ground, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the whooshing sounds of the wind in her ears as she fell.

Shadow saw this and, ever the quick one, did a crossfoot spin landed perfectly on his feet as he opened his arms and effortlessly caught Sally before she had a chance to go splat against the floor. She landed in his arms with a slight grunt, and, opening her eyes, she peered up at him, smiling and laughing breathlessly. He put her down, and thankfully, she was able to stand on her legs without fear of falling.

"That was awesome! We make a killer team, you and I. I told you that you'd catch me," said Sally, her hands resting on her hips. Shadow said nothing, a small smile gracing his face as he stared at her. Even he had to agree with her on this one. It felt nice skating with her, and they were in sync, working together perfectly. He definitely wouldn't mind doing something like that again. The others skated up to them, circling them. Amy stood in front of the pair, her jade eyes filled with their usual mirth and light.

"Wow, I had no idea you were such a great skater, Sally. Where'd you learn those moves?" she asked. Sally pointed at Shadow, looping their arms together. The action caught Shadow off guard, but he knew better than to say anything, least he provoke her wrath. Girls could often be such volatile, complex creatures at times. He wasn't sure if Sally fit that stereotypical description, but he wasn't about to take any chances.

"Shadow taught me how to. He was freaking brilliant," said Sally, her voice sincere and enthusiastic. "I was going to call it quits, but Shadow helped me up and offered to teach me how to roller-skate. I had a blast," she added, taking off her helmet and cradling it in both her hands. Shadow shrugged, trying to look indifferent, but he was appreciative of the praises she gave him. Sonic, who stood beside Amy, glanced between the pair before laughing, a wide smile on his face.

"He must be a really great teacher because a couple of minutes ago, you were falling flat on your face," Sonic joked, wiping tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes. Sally skated towards him and punched him on the shoulder. He yelped and pain, nursing the now bruised spot. Sally smirked as she skated back to Shadow's side.

"Hey, what was that for?" Sonic asked, looking at Sally in alarm.

"That, my dear friend, was for mocking my failure. You should know better than to provoke a woman to anger. The outcomes are almost never in your favor," Sally said, not sounding the least bit apologetic.

"She's right, Sonic," said Silver, nodding his head in agreement. "You wouldn't believe how many burn marks and scratches I got from Blaze for "insulting" her," he said, making air quotes with his fingers. Blaze whacked him against his head, ignoring the pained yelp that left his lips as she glared at him. "See what I mean?" he asked, only to get whacked again.

"I don't know about you guys, but all this humidity is ruining my hair," said Rouge, motioning to her white locks, which were limp and slightly damp. Knuckles groaned, not understanding what the big deal was.

"Does it matter how your hair looks? You still look beautiful either way," Knuckles said before clamping his mouth shut, realizing that he had gave the ivory bat a compliment. The boys all laughed while the girls smiled and awed. Rouge herself looked shocked, stunned into speechless silence. Finally, after finding her voice, she gave Knuckles a genuine smile, and if one looked closely, a faint, dusty pink blush graced her cheeks, though she hid it well.

"Do you really mean it, Knuckles?" Rouge asked, trying to keep the hopefulness out of her voice. After all, she had a reputation to keep. Knuckles looked away, a blush on his face as well. Throwing her a look over his shoulder, he gave her a smile as genuine as the one she had given him, and Rouge felt her heart flutter in response.

"Of course I did. I wouldn't have said so if I didn't," said Knuckles, trying to sound nonchalant. Sonic patted Knuckles on the back, laughing.

"It's about time, Knuckles," said the blue hedgehog, and Knuckles shook him off.

"You act like I proposed or asked her out or something," he said.

"You might as well have. I mean, you willing throwing out compliments, and to Rouge, the woman you butt heads with on a daily basis? Yeah, because that's an everyday thing," said Silver, dodging the fist that came his way by using his psychic powers to teleport out of harm's way.

"Can it, Silver," Knuckles growled, waving his fist dangerously.

"Maybe we should get going before a fight breaks out," Cream suggested, and Cheese chaoed his agreement.

"Yeah, we should. Besides, I want to get back to my workshop and work on the Tornado," Tails added.

"Aw, you're always working on that plane, Tails," said Cream. "I think it has all the upgrades it can possibly get." Tails laughed, agreeing with her. He couldn't help it though. He loved tinkering with machines, and his airplane was one of his most prized possessions.

"She's right, Tails. You're a complete mechanical whiz. Why don't you try your hands in making a new invention instead of perfecting something that's already nearly perfect?" Sonic suggested. Tails' twin tails twirled happily, and he could already feel his mind buzzing with possible ideas.

"That a great idea! I have been meaning to build something new, something that can better aid us in protecting the world from possible threats," Tails mused. Amy gave him an encouraging smile, beaming as her jade eyes lit up.

"See? Intelligent and selfless. You're gonna make a girl one awesome boyfriend someday," she gushed, her eyes darting towards Cream, who suddenly looked interested in fiddling with a loose strand of string on her orange dress. Tails looked just as flustered and could find nothing to say, eyes impossibly wide and his muzzle alit with a blush. Sonic sighed as he looked at his pink admirer and friend; he could already tell she was secretly playing matchmaker between their two friends, plotting some kind of scheme to get them together. Deciding to do them both a favor, he distracted the lovesick hedgehog.

"Amy, um, why don't you and I do something together?" Sonic asked, ignoring the butterflies that were fluttering around in his stomach. When those pretty jade eyes focused on him, he felt like his world stopped. They were filled with unguarded hope and a love so pure and bright, that Sonic felt nearly blinded by it.

"Ooh, do you mean it, Sonic?" Amy asked, clasping her gloved hands in front of her as she gave him a hopeful look. Sonic gulped, his nerves on fire.

_Geez, why couldn't I have offered to do something else?_ Sonic silently asked himself, suddenly getting cold feet. However, when he saw how hopeful she looked, he stood his ground and gave her his trademark grin, his confidence soaring once more.

"Sure! We can go to Twinkle Park or something. My treat," Sonic promised. He and Tails exchanged looks, and Tails gave him a thankful, relieved look, to which Sonic gave him the thumbs-up to assure him that it was no trouble at all. Every hero needed to make a sacrifice every now and then.

As everyone began heading out, saying their goodbyes and promising to meet up again, Sally and Shadow were the last to leave. She saw that Blaze and Silver were already outside waiting for her, so she decided to give Shadow a goodbye.

"Thanks again for teaching me how to roller-skate, Shadow. I had a really nice time," said Sally, leaning to her right as she stared at him.

"It was no trouble, princess. I, too, enjoyed myself as surprising as that is. I have a motorcycle waiting for me to tune it up, so until next time, princess," said Shadow, taking her hand and giving it a kiss as he bowed. Sally could hear Silver and Blaze laughing in the background, and she felt herself blushing as his warm lips grazed against her hand. Shadow looked up her, smirking as he let her hand fall. Throwing her a playful wink, he pulled out a Chaos Emerald, the purple one, and used Chaos Control to teleport away.

Sally stood there for a moment or two before turning around and walking to where the pair waited for her, and the three of them began walking home. She really loved hanging out with them because they were both funny and serious at the same time. Silver was lighthearted and had a strong sense of justice; he was a dreamer and always down for a good laugh and having fun. Blaze resembled her in some ways with them both being practical, calm, and levelheaded. Though at times Blaze was a bit too serious, closed off from others, and overly independent, as the years went by, she's learned how to loosen up and have fun every now and then.

"I didn't know you and Dark Vader were so cool," said Silver, nudging Sally's shoulder. Sally nudged him back, rolling her eyes and waving her hand dismissively.

"Oh, please, Silver. Shadow and I are just friends, nothing more. Stop reading between the lines," said Sally.

"If you say so," said Silver, smiling knowingly. "So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?" he asked, changing the subject. He used his psychic powers to levitate himself in the air. The sun was still out, and the weather outside was more than pleasant, and the day was still young.

"I was planning on taking a nap." Silver shook his head, looking at her in disapproval, and Blaze frowned. Sally looked between the two of them, confused. "Why are you two looking like that?"

"Sally, no offense, but that sounds boring as hell."

"I have to agree with Silver on this one, Sally. Sleeping on a day as nice as this is a complete and utter waste," said Blaze. They made a turn and continued their walk down the sidewalk. "Why don't you hang with us? We were going to go out to eat, and you're more than welcomed to come along," Blaze offered, smoothing out the creases in her jacket. Silver smiled, nodding his head.

"Yeah, you totally should! It'll be fun with the three of us, and you don't have anything better to do when you really think about it," he added. That much was true; she pretty much planned on sleeping until her brain shut down, which sounded pretty lame, even to her. On the other hand, she could go out with Blaze and Silver, eat a meal, and have a good time. Wasn't the clear choice obvious?

"Alright, I'll tag along with you two. We just need to stop by my place first and grab my purse," said Sally. Silver whooped and came back down, throwing his arm around her and Blaze as he walked in the middle while Blaze laughed quietly, putting her arm around him. Sally laughed, looping her arm around Silver as the three of them talked about random things, laughing every now and then

_Yeah, _Sally thought, gazing up at the sky, _I definitely made the right choice._


	2. Chasing Pavements

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of its relating characters. All that belongs to me is this story and my thoughts.

I love you guys so much! Thanks to TheDivines, jazzybizzle, Skyelara, and Thunder Croft for your wonderful reviews! Yes, this is going to be a story, so buckle up and enjoy the ride! Anyways, I apologize for not updating this sooner, but I finally found time to write this. Enjoy!

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2: Chasing Pavements

"_What do you want to be when you grow up, sweetheart?" Sally, with her crown slipping off the side of her head, her long, braided hair softly thumping against her back, peered up at her mother, giving her a grin, one of her front teeth missing._

"_I wanna be a hero!"_

Sally woke up slowly, rubbing her eyes and running a hand through her messy hair. She stared ahead of her, her gaze meeting her red-painted wall. She heaved a sigh, gently massaging her temples as she tried to make sense of the dream she had dreamt. It took place at her palace when she was still a little girl whose only real concern was what kind of meal she was going to have for dinner. Back in those days, she was still insanely cheerful and innocent; her shoulders weren't yet weighed down with the troubles, woes, and responsibilities that life would soon hurl at her.

If she could turn back the hands of times, she would go back to the days of young when her days consisted of exploring, playing, and going on adventures with Elias. Back then, her title and her crown didn't matter; she was simply a little girl that lacked a real care in the world. Ah, where had the days gone? When did she become so jaded?

Anyways, she was getting off the subject. She had dreamt that she was in her mother's room, comfortably perched on her lap cradling a sandwich in her left hand while her right hand gripped the material of her mother's lavender dress. Her mother had just finished braiding her hair, gently placing her crown on her head so that it sat perfectly on top of it. Sally could remember the look she had on her face when she took in her appearance as she stared at her reflection, poking her tongue out at her reflection because she felt too girly.

Her mother had asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, and Sally told her, her voice firm and lacking hesitation and doubt, that she wanted to be a hero. Not necessarily a hero in the sense that Sonic was; no, she wanted to serve as an inspiration to others as well as be that light that would shine in the lives of others when darkness threatened to take over, a light that simply refused to be put out. She had saw the dirtier parts of her kingdoms, saw how hungry, poor, and sick people were and told herself that she would do everything in her power to aid them, to help turn their lives around.

_But I didn't, did I? Instead of helping them, I fled my kingdom and people and turned my backs on them. Yeah, some fucking hero I'm turning out to be,_ Sally thought miserably, tears staining her cheeks as she cried silently, depression seeping into the deepest depths of her heart as she buried her face in her hands, her body shaking as she let go of the emotions she had kept locked in for so long. What did her parents think of her? Did they view her as a traitor, a coward, a _failure_? As these dismal thoughts battered her mind, she felt herself fighting against that darkness that hide in the shadows of her heart, that haunted her soul and threatened to devour her whole.

* * *

"Everything okay, Sally?" Amy asked, her jade eyes regarding her friend with open concern and worry.

"Yeah, you don't look too good," Blaze agreed, also eyeing Sally curiously, worry gleaming in the depths of her eyes. Sally gave them what she hoped was a reassuring smile, though even to her it felt unconvincing and fake. However, she didn't like to burden people with her problems, and she doubted that they'd understand. Besides, she had always preferred to depend on herself for whatever it was that she needed to. Still, she felt awful for not confiding in them. They were friends, were they not? Shouldn't she be able to trust them and vice versa? Although, trust really wasn't the issue at hand here now that she thought about it…

"It's nothing. I just didn't get enough sleep, that's all," said Sally, giving a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders as she sipped her orange juice. She stared into the contents of her cup, determined to keep her emotions in check. The last thing she needed was to have a breakdown in such a public area. Unbeknownst to her, Amy and Blaze shared a look, each doubting that she was okay, but decided not to press the matter any further. When Sally felt the need to talk to them about it, she would.

Blaze had a feeling it had something to do with her memories and the recent dreams she had been having lately. She only wished that she could understand the purpose behind their appearance. Why was Sally suddenly being hit with nostalgia about her early life now? It just didn't add up.

"Well, only if you're sure," said Blaze. Sally nodded her head, this time giving them a more convincing smile. She bushed her bangs out of her face and helped herself to a piece of bacon. The trio was at a little diner having breakfast together. Rouge would've came too, but she and Shadow were assigned a mission by G.U.N. and she wouldn't get off until later in day. Sally bit into the bacon piece, delighting in its savory taste as she licked her lips, her eyes briefly closing.

"I'm sure. So, Amy, are you excited for your date with Sonic?" She already knew she was. Hell, anyone with eyes and half a thought could clearly see that the girl was beyond elated to be going anywhere with Sonic since she was used to him trying his hardest to keep his distance from her. Sally sat there eating her slices of pancakes and Blaze nibbled on her toast as they both listened to Amy gush about how excited she was and things of that nature.

"Oh my gosh, yes! I've been waiting for this moment since forever! I mean, _I'm_ going on a date with _Sonic the Hedgehog_! I'm on Cloud 9 right now!" Yeah, perhaps excited wasn't quite the word to describe what Amy was feeling right now. She sounded like she was going to die from sheer happiness or have a heart attack at the very least. But, Sally could sympathize with her. She had been chasing Sonic for how long? And no matter how hard she tried, she always managed to come up short.

In all honesty, Sally would've said fuck it and found someone else. She just couldn't understand how someone could love someone so damn much and put themselves through what Amy had for Sonic. And Sally wasn't saying that Sonic was a bad guy because he wasn't. He was just, like most of the guys who inhabited this planet, dense at times and didn't know they had a good thing until it was either slipping through their fingertips or gone.

She didn't have the heart to tell her that Sonic had only offered to take her on a date in the first place to distract her from meddling in Tails and Cream's affairs. Besides, she was more than sure that Sonic would end up enjoying himself and probably take her on another date. Well, probably. Sonic never was one for romance, and Sally wasn't that big of a fan for it either. Well, not that mushy, dumb shit that was in the movies, and she wasn't saying that it couldn't happen in real life. She just wasn't about to hold her breath waiting for it to happen.

Romance had a habit of contradicting Sally's personality. If she did find a guy and ended up falling madly in love, she was still going to be the same person and it would have to be on her terms. That was why Sonic avoided Amy's advances; he didn't want to change the kind of person he was. However, Sonic was fortunate enough to have someone liked Amy who loved him as he was and wouldn't change him for all the riches the world had to offer.

"_Sally, you need to find a suitable suitor! Do you not wish to get married one day?" King Maximillian barked at his daughter. Sally shrugged her shoulders, rolling her eyes as she fought against the urge to gag. She was fourteen years old. Why in the world did she need to waste time trying to find a husband? Shouldn't she, you know, find a boyfriend and then work her way up that ladder? She didn't expect her father to understand that though. After all, he and her mother got betrothed at the age of fucking eleven! What the fuck!?_

"_Father, I mean you no disrespect, but I'm fourteen years old, okay? I'm in no hurry for marriage, and if I do get married and fall in love and all that other good stuff, then it's going to be on my time and my terms," Sally answered coolly before turning around and leaving the throne room. She ignored her father's shouts and protests for her to come back._

"What do you think, Sally?" Sally snapped back into reality, staring into Amy's jade eyes with a confused expression on her face. Sighing, Amy repeated herself. "I was asking you how you thought I should dress when I go on my date with Sonic. Blaze said I should dress casually, but I was thinking I should really dress up and go all out."

"Well," Sally began, a thoughtful expression on her face as she stared at Amy, "I have to agree with Blaze on this one. This is only the first date, so you're simply testing the waters. Of course you don't want to show up dressed any kind of way, but you also don't want to oversell it because it makes you look a bit desperate. So, wear something classy, but casual at the same time. That way you giving Sonic something to work with, but it's not out there in a way that makes you seem too eager," Sally reasoned.

Amy squealed and gave Sally one of her famous "death" hugs, and Sally now understood why Sonic titled it as such. She was literally gasping for breath and praying that her heart was still beating by the time Amy had finally released her. She could distinctly hear the sound of Blaze's laughter, and she promptly gave her feline friend the finger, still trying to catch her breath.

"That's a great idea, Sally! Thanks for the advice! Ooh, I'm going to knock Sonic right off his feet and leave him begging for more!" she vowed, and with a persistent, optimistic, and determined attitude like hers, both Sally and Blaze didn't doubt her words. They could only hope that Sonic knew what was coming to him and what he had gotten himself into.

* * *

"If you don't have the balls to take her out on a date, then why did you even offer to do so?" Shadow asked, watching in amusement as Sonic squirmed in his seat, emerald eyes wide in panic as he tried desperately to find some kind of way out of this date thing.

"I just said the first thought that crossed my mind! How in the hell was I supposed to know that I was going to blurt _that_ out!?" Sonic demanded, glaring at Shadow as he tilted his head back and laughed. Sonic rolled his eyes, an arm crossed behind his head. "Oh, ha ha ha. That's really fucking hilarious, Shadow." Shadow, wiping tears from his eyes, shot Sonic a smirk.

"I know it is, faker. That's why I'm laughing. Is it my fault that your misery is so amusing to me? I think not. Anyways, you, as always, never take into consideration the words that spew from your mouth. I really don't see why you're making something out of nothing. It isn't as if you asked her to be your girlfriend or whatever, so stop whining about it already. It's wearing on my nerves," he said calmly. He had just came back to his apartment from his G.U.N. mission and was a bit weary. The last thing he needed to deal with was an overreacting Sonic. He heard Sonic grumbling something that distinctly sounded like "douche bag" under his breath, but he opted to let it slide.

"What kind of friend are you? Pouring salt on my already open wounds while merrily laughing away at my obvious distraught is not a very nice thing to do. And you know how Amy is. She reads too deeply between the lines and will find some kind of way to make this date thing more than what it actually is," he argued, pouting childishly. Shadow sighed, silently asking the Lord how he got himself into situations such as these.

"I'm the kind of friend who doesn't believe in bullshiting you. I'm telling you, if you simply spent more time with her, she wouldn't feel the need to cling so tightly to you. I mean, seriously, has that thought never occurred to you, or are you so dense that you can't even see its logic? All Amy wants from you is attention, so paying more attention to her equals her not acting clingy, chasing you, or hugging you breathless." Sonic opened his mouth, prepared to argue to the death, when he paused, deciding to hear Shadow out and ponder his words instead.

"Hey, that's not a bad idea, Shadow! You seem to know a lot about relationships, but you're not in one. Why is that?" Shadow shrugged his shoulders and made a noncommittal sound.

"Romance doesn't fit my style. Sure, I could have any girl I want, but I'm not going to waste my time on just any girl because not every girl can look past the surface and delve deeper beneath the water. I want a girl who's intelligent, beautiful, aggressive, and not afraid to speak her mind. I want a girl who can hold her own and who likes me for me, a girl whose company I can genuinely enjoy being in. If I can find a girl like that, then _maybe_ I'll give that romance shit a chance." Sonic nodded his head, leaning back into the soft pillows on their couch as Shadow picked up the remote-control and turned the TV on.

He happened to know a girl who fit that description perfectly, but unlike Amy, who was sure to meddle if she ever caught whiff of this, he decided to keep his lips sealed and stay out of it. The last thing he needed to do was piss off the Ultimate Lifeform and get the shit knocked out of him. However, should these two kindred spirits find an interest in each other, Sonic couldn't wait to see how it played out.

* * *

Sally felt like gouging her eyes out, she was so bored. After breakfast, the girls, on Amy's insistence, had decided to go visit Station Square's mall to go shopping, which seemed like a typical girl thing if said girl was into that kind of thing. Sally was no typical girl, and shopping wasn't her favorite hobby. One reason why she loathed shopping was that it took too long. When Sally shopped, she already knew what it was that she wanted. Therefore, when she went to the mall, she quickly got what she wanted, paid for it, and got the hell out of there. Sadly, this was not the case.

Sally leaned against the wall, headphones in her ears as she listened to "Bassline" by Chris Brown as she patiently, or as patiently as she could under such circumstances, waited for her friends to finish picking out what they wanted. She rolled her eyes, casting a glance at her watch to keep track of the time. It was five thirty, and they had been in here since ten o' clock in the morning! They had spent over five hours straight in the mall, and it was beginning to wear on Sally's nerves. They probably could've left earlier, but Rouge had met up with them when she had finished her mission for G.U.N.

_And speak of the devil, here she comes now,_ Sally thought as she put her song on pause and took out her headphones, blue eyes glancing at said ivory bat. As always, Rouge looked flawless, sporting her usual black jumpsuit, the outfit clinging to her natural curves as she walked, her hips swaying. As guys whistled and ogled at her, though Rouge paid them no attention, all Sally could think of was that Knuckles was one lucky son-of-a-bitch that someone as gorgeous as Rouge liked him so much.

"Hiya, Blue Eyes. Long time no see," Rouge greeted her, a lazy smile on her face as she stood beside her, also leaning against the wall. Sally rolled her eyes at the nickname Rouge had dubbed her with a while back.

"Hey, Rouge. Surely it hasn't been that long since we've seen each other, has it?" Sally asked, her tone light and teasing. Rouge was someone she loved being around. She was a laidback, strong-willed, independent woman, and Sally viewed as an older sister. She admired her and would go to her about certain things as Rouge was a very mature, intelligent person who was deeper than she portrayed herself to be. Rouge laughed, sending a wink in her direction.

"It always feels like eternity whenever I'm without you." Sally tilted her head back and let loose a pretty laugh, unable to control herself as she laughed along with Rouge. She gave the girl a playful shove, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as she willed herself to stop laughing.

"You're really something else, you know that? So, how did your mission for G.U.N. go?" They had both walked off, though not too far away from where Amy and Blaze were, and sat down on bench, each exhaling in relief as they let their numerous shopping bags rest on the white tiled floor of the mall.

"Pretty good. They sent me and Shadow to one of Eggman's abandoned lairs to scope it out and make sure it really was down. It was, but I suppose it's better to be safe than sorry," she said, adjusting her left boot. Sally agreed with her on that one. She believed that when it came to matters like this, such as public safety and potential threats, it was better to be precautious least someone got hurt or killed.

"You can never be sure when it comes to Eggman. Who knows what sort of tricks are hiding up his sleeve?" Rouge nodded her head sagely, reapplying her favorite pink lipstick to her lips, staring at her reflection to make sure her makeup wasn't smudged or ruined. With a soft click, she tucked her compact mirror back in her purse along with her lipstick.

"That's very true. We're the only real things keeping evil from winning, and it's not an easy feat to pull off. Sometimes I wonder what they world would do without us."

"They would, without a shadow of a doubt, be screwed up if it weren't for us. Do you know how many times we've had to risk our lives just to keep the world and everything on it from being annihilated? Um, a lot," said Sally, her voice gaining a slight edge to it as her gaze hardened, frowning. Rouge noticed this but said nothing, unsure of what to make of it. She had no clue what was going on in the princess's mind or what she was going through. Ever since that little stunt that happened at Cream's house, her worry for her friend grew.

None of them could figure out what was going on with her. Sometimes she zoned out on them and lost herself in a world that only she seemed to have access to and could unlock. No one really had a clue as to how Sally grew up or how her early life was, not even Sonic. She rarely talked about it, though when she did, depending on how the question was asked or what the question was, she didn't really go into deep detail about it. All anyone really knew for certain was that something caused her to run away from home, Sonic had stumbled across her one day, and he had taken her under his wing.

Her behavior reminded her of Shadow's, but Shadow, after that whole Black Doom incident, was more willing to talk more about his past, though it was only to a degree. And though he had tendencies to shut himself off from everyone, it wasn't the same manner in which Sally was now doing. Being a spy, Rouge was trained in the art of body language and had no real trouble reading others. But, for some reason, she couldn't get a good feel on Sally. She seriously hoped her friend was alright, and that she knew that she could come to any of them with whatever problem she had.

"The life of a hero is sometimes a difficult life to live, but it is rewarding in itself. However, sometimes it calls for sacrifice, and sacrifices have to be made," Rouge said gently, her voice soft and calm. She could see the tension and anger leave Sally only to be replaced by sadness.

"Believe me, I'm an expert when it comes to making sacrifices." Before Rouge had a chance to question the meaning behind her statement, Amy and Blaze had finally returned, each carrying armfuls of shopping bags. Amy wore a satisfied smile on her face while Blaze had one of relief, looking immensely thankful that they were finally done shopping.

"Whew! I think that's enough shopping for today. Are you girls ready to go?" Amy asked, glancing between the two girls. Rouge glanced at Sally, surprised to see her in brighter spirits. Just moments ago, she looked down and depressed and now she was glowing with joy. Had she simply thought Sally was down? Maybe her worry for her had caused her to see things.

"Yeah, we're ready," said Sally, flashing them a small smile as she picked up her bags and lead the way, the other girls trailing behind her. Once she was sure that no one could see her, Sally's smile faltered, her mask slipping off as she felt guilt consume her heart.

_I couldn't sacrifice my happiness and freedom to lead my kingdom. I couldn't do it because it was unfair to me. Am I selfish for wanting more for myself, to carve my own path and live my own life, not the one my parents and everyone else had drawn out for me? Does that truly make me a bad person?_ A part of her screamed that she should've sacrificed her happiness for the greater good of her kingdom because it was expected of her and it was the right thing to do. However, another part of her shouted that she had done the right thing. Wanting to be happy was not a crime and didn't make her a bad person.

Which voice did she listen to? Her mind said one thing, but her heart sung a completely different tune. She remembered her mother telling her to find something that made her happy and to do whatever it was that brought her absolute joy. Was her mother aware, even that early on, of the choice her only daughter would soon make? Did she know that Sally was going to turn her back on all she had ever known in hopes of finding something that better suited her?

If she did, why didn't she say anything? Why did she keep silent, stand back, and let her leave? Did Elias know too? It would explain why he didn't stop her. It seemed like the only person who was completely surprised was her father. She could almost picture the look of pure anguish on his face when news had finally reached him that she had ran away from home. Were they worried, were they looking for her, did they even _care_?

_It's not like I have the right to blame them. I'm the one who left. I'm the one who was too much of a coward to take responsibility and do what was expected of me. It doesn't matter anymore. That part of my life died years ago. I'm not the girl who's too afraid to speak her mind, to think for herself, or do something she wants to do. I'm not going back to that life or being that person anymore, and anyone who doesn't like it can go shove a fork up their ass._

"It's time to let go and start over. I mean, why am I letting this dreams get to me? After all, I have nothing to fear but fear itself," Sally said quietly, trying to shove the unease she felt to the side. Really, what did she have to fear?


	3. A Brother's Decision

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of its relating characters.

* * *

3: A Brother's Decision

A woman stood in the center of the room, her long, auburn hair pinned up in a neat bun. Blue eyes gazed at the picture frame she held carefully in her hand, her normally bright smile stained with sadness as tears prickled in the corners of her eyes. It was a picture of her daughter. She was sitting on the steps of the palace, her crown perched crookedly on her head. Her hair, free from its hair ties, rippled like ocean waves in the breeze.

Queen Alicia's fingertip traced the smooth, cool glass of the picture frame, and she felt her heart breaking into pieces all over again, and she struggled to remain upright; she felt as if the grief she was experiencing was going to knock her over.

She stumbled towards her dresser and collapsed on the wooden chair she kept in front of it. She gripped the edge of her dresser until her knuckles bled white.

"Dearest daughter, my precious Sally, I can only hope that you're faring well as you've left us no clue, no note, as to where you've fled or how long you'd be absent," Alicia whispered. She longed to know if her beloved daughter was okay, that she was indeed safe and sound wherever she was. Sadly, she had no way of knowing this.

Her daughter had been gone for four long years, leaving nothing for them to remember her by except memories and regrets. They had searched for her; oh, how they searched high and low for her, days upon days, weeks upon weeks, and months upon months did they search for her. Their efforts, so it seemed, were in vain as they had yet to come across her.

Alicia feared for the worst. What if she was…?

"No! I cannot have such dark thoughts clouding my mind! Sally was always a strong, able girl, so surely she must be fine. She has to be." Alicia set the picture down and abruptly stood up, causing her chair to fall over and clatter against the wooden floor. Steeling herself, she made herself presentable and stormed out of her room, slamming the door shut.

She marched down the halls, ignoring the servants who greeted her jovially. She walked until she came face-to-face with two large doors made of gold. Without bothering to knock, Alicia threw them open, ignoring the sharp banging thud they made when they collided against the walls. Her eyes met the surprised gaze of her husband, who was currently in the middle of a meeting with his most trusted advisors.

"Maximillian, we need to talk. _Now_." Her voice left absolutely no room for arguments, and before her husband had a chance to say anything, she turned on her heels and left, already knowing that her husband would leave and follow her. He was no fool.

"If you all would excuse me, I have an urgent manner to attend to with my wife," said King Maximillian, excusing himself and paying no mind to the questioning and confused gazes shot at him as he hurriedly left the conference room.

He hadn't the foggiest idea what ruffled his wife's feathers and provoked her into such a sour, temperamental mood, but he knew that he didn't want to be on the receiving end of her wrath.

As he walked down the halls, absently waving at the servants and staff as he passed by them, his thoughts strayed toward his daughter. Oh, how he missed her tremendously! How he wished he could hear the sound of her laughter ringing through the palace, the sight of her beautiful smile, and the flame that burned in her sapphire eyes.

His heart ached whenever she crossed his mind. He missed her sorely and wished he knew where she had gone. He did know she was nowhere within the kingdom or its neighboring boarders, for he had the entire area searched from top to bottom. Still, Sally, his pride, joy, and treasure, was nowhere to be found.

_What did I do to drive you away, daughter?_ His thoughts were filled with melancholy as he stroked his beard. He couldn't stomach being the reason why Sally ran away from home. What good parent and father wanted to be the reason why his child ran away? He felt awful, and he wanted nothing more than to find her and bring her back where she belonged.

Maximillian was unsure of what he would say should they come across her. After all, it's been ages since they last saw each other. He hoped his daughter would welcome him with arms wide open rather than turning away from him, for the thought of Sally despising him stung. As he stepped inside his bedroom, eyes immediately locking on his wife, he could only wonder where he had gone astray.

"What troubles you, Alicia? You're not one to get so easily riled up," Maximillian said, eyeing his wife in worry as he pulled her into his embrace. Alicia was silent for a moment, peering up into her husband's darker blue eyes, appreciating the warmth and comfort he gave her.

"I just can't continue living like this. I can't keep pretending that it doesn't hurt that my daughter, my little girl, is gone. I can hardly sleep at night because my mind is so troubled," Alicia confessed, resting a hand over her heart. Maximillian could understand his wife's feelings. He, too, deeply missed his daughter's presence.

"I feel the same way, and like you, I cannot continue such a pitiful existence. So, I have come up with a solution to this problem." He paused, making sure he had her complete attention, before continuing. "Since it's clear that she's not here, she must have gone overseas and into America. I'll round up our finest soldiers and we'll search for her there. Then, once we find her, we'll bring her back home."

"Such an excellent idea, my king! Oh, my heart breathes sighs of relief at being reunited with our daughter once more. When should we do this, and while we're away, who will run the kingdom?" she asked, doubt creeping into her voice.

"We will wait around a week or two to give us time to plan such a trip and extensive search out, and we'll leave our capable son Elias in charge," Maximillian suggested. Alicia saw no fault in his suggestion and found herself nodding in agreement to it. She couldn't wait to be reunited with her daughter once more.

Meanwhile, Megan Acorn, Elias's wife, had heard their entire plan and quickly went to warn her husband. She wanted Sally back too, but forcing her to return would solve nothing and would only serve to cause a deep rift and more strife.

_I have to hurry and tell Elias. He has a right to know this, and maybe he can figure out what to do,_ she thought as she quietly ran down the hallway. She didn't have any time to spare.

* * *

"_Higher, Elias! Push me higher!" Sally exclaimed in excitement, her small hands gripping the chains of the swing securely as to keep her from being thrown off. Elias complied with his sister's wish, unable to refuse her anything. So, grabbing he seat of the swing, he ran back and pulled it as high as it was willing to go and released it, watching as his sister swung up into the air, letting loose a shrill scream of delight as she swung back before repeating the process again and again, swinging back and forth like a clock pendulum._

Elias could remember that day as though it had just happened moments ago. His sister always was adventurous and full of life, and one rarely saw her without a smile on her face. He sat in her old bedroom, staring at the many drawings that were pinned on its purple walls. Some were drawn when she could barely hold a crayon and were very simple and basic. The more recent drawings were easy to spot; they were detailed and well-drawn, and he wondered if Sally still had a love for drawing.

He wondered a lot of things when it came to his sister. Was she alright? What was she doing with herself? Did she miss him like he missed her? Did she think about all the fun and laughs they shared? Judging from the letters she wrote him, though, she seemed to be in much higher sprits and was doing just fine. He couldn't help but worry at times. He was, after all, the older brother, and older brothers always worried and fretted over their little sisters.

He was brought of his thoughts by the soft knocking against the door.

"You may enter," he said, and the door swung open to reveal his wife Megan. Her dark brown hair was loosely braided, and her dark green eyes met his as she stared at him, worried. She sounded breathless, like she had ran around the world five times, and Elias felt himself growing concerned. "Megan, what's the matter?"

"Your parents are planning on finding Sally," said Megan. Elias stiffened at her words and was on his feet in seconds.

"What!? When did you learn of this?"

"Only seconds ago. I was walking by their room looking for you when I heard their conversation. Elias, we can't let them do this. From the letters Sally wrote you, she seems to enjoy the new home she made for herself. We can't stand by and let them take such happiness away from her."

Elias dug under the pillow on the bed and withdrew a folded sheet of paper and tucked it inside of his royal blue jacket. It was a map Sally had drawn him for compensation of him helping her escape the palace. He simply couldn't bear not knowing where she was. Sally didn't seem to want to, but she trusted him and knew he wouldn't show such a thing to their parents, least they use it to find her.

"Don't worry; we're not. We'll get there before my parents because Sally drew a map for me that will guide us to her. Quickly, I need you to go to our room, pack all of our things, and meet me at the backdoors of the palace with Alexis. Make sure to write a note saying that we've gone on vacation. We don't need to draw any suspicion to ourselves," said Elias, his voice firm and blue eyes ablaze with fierce determination. Megan nodded her head and went to do as he told her.

Elias walked around the room, eyes glancing at a picture Sally drew of him and her playing on the swings, before he turned away and left, softly closing the door shut. Carefully, he ran down the hallways, dodging the guards and servants. He didn't want them to see him and question where he was going.

He soon made it to the backdoors of the palace and slipped outside, the sunshine hitting him like the slap to the face. He paused and willed himself to relax; however, he had trouble doing so. He was worried about what was going to happen to his sister and wanted to make it to her in time to warn her of what was coming.

Her bubble of happiness, Elias feared, was soon going to be popped.


End file.
